the taste of manna

albert m. lewis wrote in the nouwen's society's weekly reflection about heaven. it was nice, but what hit me was this line:

Jewish text teaches that the manna given by God to the Israelites in the desert tasted like whatever they imagined it to be.

wow - i had never heard that before. isn't that the willie wonka dream of every person? food that tastes like whatever you want it to - but still nourishes your body with healthy sustenance? no extra carbs, no added sugar - just tastes like what you want it to be?

i'm sure that wandering around in the desert those first bites of manna were like heaven - everything they ever thought it could be. i'm sure each person had every wish fulfilled in the things they had been missing back in egypt - leeks and onions, haroset and honey - all of it in wafers that fell from heaven. god providing exactly what they needed to meet each individuals tastes and desires. incredible.

it exposes their hearts when those wafers began to taste like the sand the people collecting the manna walked upon. how their hearts determined their satisfaction with god's provision. something that tasted like heaven later became unswallowable and insufficient.

i realize how often what god provides for me starts out with joy and excitement, and later turns sour in my mouth? nothing changed but my heart. oh forgive me blessed one for the dissatisfaction of my heart - help me to be content with the manna you provide me with today.